The franchise is the amount you pay yourself each year before your insurer covers anything. Adults choose between CHF 300 and CHF 2,500, children between CHF 0 and CHF 600. The higher the franchise, the lower your premium, but the more you pay out of pocket when you need care.
The trade-off in one sentence
A high franchise (2,500) cuts your monthly premium significantly, worth it if you rarely see a doctor. A low franchise (300) costs more in premium but pays off if you regularly have high health costs.
Don't forget the co-pay
Above the franchise you also pay 10% of costs yourself, the co-pay (Selbstbehalt), capped at CHF 700 per year (children CHF 350). So your maximum out-of-pocket is franchise + 700.
The break-even math
Compare total yearly cost, not just the premium:
total cost = 12 × premium + expected out-of-pocket
Rule of thumb: if you expect less than about CHF 1,500–2,000 in treatment costs per year, the highest franchise (2,500) almost always wins. Expect more, and a low franchise can be cheaper. The middle franchises (500–2,000) are rarely optimal.
Who picks what?
- Franchise 2,500: healthy adults who rarely see a doctor.
- Franchise 300: people with chronic conditions, planned treatments, or regular medication.
- Children: often franchise 0, because kids' premiums are low and the discount for a higher franchise is small.
The right franchise depends on your actual costs, not a rule of thumb. The billfox franchise calculator uses official BAG premiums and shows your total cost per franchise for your profile.